Ancelotti face selection problem due to squad depth

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was giving nothing away on Tuesday over the selection problem.

The return to fitness of James Rodriguez and the availability of Isco after suspension, means that Real Madrid now have an embarrassment of riches to choose from when picking their starting 11.

Ancelotti has Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Isco, James, Luka Modric and Tony Kroos all available for Tuesday's trip to Vallecas and unless he decides to play Bale in his former role as left back, one of those seven stars will have to miss out.

Speaking about Isco and James, Ancelotti commented in his pre-game press conference that "both could play because they have played together many times... It's not a debate between Isco and James, competition in a squad is a good thing."

"It was a 'welcome problem'," he added.

However, when pressed further, Ancelotti hinted that Bale could be the man to miss out, saying he was suffering from a "knock on his foot," and when asked whether the trident of Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema was a fixture, the coach replied, "we have a game every three days until the start of May and rotations are going to be essential. Some players might be rested."

Rather than talk about who would miss out, he preferred to focus on the depth of the squad.

"I have a squad where everyone is un-droppable, because I've got the best in the world. I am confident that from now until the end of the season everything's going to come together."

Ancelotti also said that his side would have to win all of their remaining matches in order to win the league title, given that they were four points behind league leaders, FC Barcelona, and he also said Iker Casillas would play in goal on Tuesday, while Keylor Navas would get another chance at the weekend. Endi